


So Many Layers

by Minacornell



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-02 19:44:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4072282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minacornell/pseuds/Minacornell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Here's my vision of what might of happened at the end of "Unnatural Habits" (S2, E12) if Aunt Prudence hadn't appeared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Many Layers

**Author's Note:**

> This piece is my first post and my first fanfic ever, and your comments will be much appreciated. Please read as though S3 has not yet occurred. 
> 
> A friend had recommended the MFMM tv series and I had resisted. It just didn't seem my style. Then one morning playing around on Netflix, I decided to give it a shot and, when I finally came back to earth late that night, I was completely smitten by the divine Miss Fisher and the even more divine Inspector Robinson. I don't own any of the characters in my story; I just adore them.Thank you, Kerry Greenwood, and thank you, Essie and Nathan for bring Kerry's characters to life.

“The man who always does the right thing. The noble thing.“

“Not always, Miss Fisher.”

And with that, Jack reached forward and drew her tight. This time, he didn’t hesitate as he had hesitated so many times before. How long had he dreamed of her? Desired her? Her lips were even sweeter than he recalled, and he lost himself in the taste of her mouth and the scent of her skin. 

Her mind raced. How could this be happening now? After all that had happened on the Pandarus and at the station house? In all the tumult and the push and shove of the day’s events, she had finally realized what he truly meant to her and, in the end, he had chosen Rosie. Phryne understood, but understanding didn’t soften the blow. Then came two raps at the door and, with them, her world turned. His words were so unexpected and then, suddenly, she was in his arms. Her response took but a nanosecond. She wanted him. And she wanted more.

For a brief moment, they separated but their gazes held fast. The months of Phryne’s shameless teasing and coquettish challenges meant little now as they stood entwined. Gertie’s recent death had forced Jack’s hand. He could no longer avoid acknowledging the depth of his feelings – either to himself or to her. But for self-protection, he had felt compelled to step back. Her passions ran wide and the list of her lovers was legion. He could not and did not seek to control her but neither could he look on silently as she risked her life and indulged her desires. 

But at the end of this long and terrible night on the ship and the disturbing revelations at the City South station, it became apparent that his only path forward was with her. Now holding back was the greater risk. He still felt loyalty and even affection for Rosie, despite all that had happened. After all, she had been his first true sweetheart. But Phryne enflamed him and challenged him and possessed him in ways that no other woman had. She was his future… whatever the cost might be. And she had let him reach that decision on his own.

And he decided to kiss her again more deeply, more sweetly, more hungrily, and Phryne responded in kind. He had come out of his fortress to meet her. This was no small gesture for a man of Jack’s reticence and sense of honor. Jack had not come to her door as a supplicant to her beauty and charms. He was no mere conquest like the others. She had been almost naked before him (and the idea that shortly they might both be fully naked sent a frisson down her spine) but she had bared her emotions with Jack as with no other man -- even Rene. Unlike him, Jack had never taken advantage of her exposed soul. Here was a valiant combatant on the plain of love. A partner. An equal. The mere idea stirred her even more.

Her hand slid down from the back of Jack’s neck and traced the line of the smoothly woven coat sleeve until she reached his hand and, so connected, Phryne began to lead Jack up the short flight up to her chamber. No word was exchanged, their eyes ever on each other. Jack raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm and each fingertip. The heat rose.

Phryne locked the door behind her and then turned on the bedside lamp filling the room with a warm glow. Gently taking his fedora from his hand, she deposited it with care on the velvet chaise. The first chink in the armor. Next up the coat. “So many layers,“ she murmured. 

Jack stood in her bedroom, drinking it all in. He’d been there before when they were working on the Fleuri case but he had tried then not to pay overt attention to the rich colors of the walls, to the textures of the satins, silks, and brocades, to the scent of her perfume that filled the room, to that remarkable painting that fairly vibrated with her spirit and sexuality or to the large bed that must have seen a parade of lovers. But the images were burned into his mind’s eye and, God knows, conjuring up those sights and smells had kept him warm on many a lonely night in his own more modest bed. As much he might have wanted to visit her boudoir again, the idea that he might be just another one of her paramours always brought him back down to earth. (Visions of the elegant Mr. Lin Chung suddenly flooded his brain.) Now he didn’t care. No, that wasn’t true. He still did but he now decided to trust his heart.

It’s not as though he felt shy exactly. Jack was no Constable Collins when it came to bedroom skills but still he was aware that his experience was no match for Phyrne’s. For a moment, doubt fixed him in place, but Phryne’s hands on his coat collar broke his reverie. As she slid it off his shoulders, he exhaled deeply. That gabardine shell had protected him for far too long. He turned and stepped over to the chaise and caught her hands in his. Lifting them to his chest, Jack smiled, “Why don’t you try my tie next? You seem to like your hands around my neck, Miss Fisher.“

“Oh, Jack, you have no idea.”

Phryne didn’t want to chase him away. She had sensed a subtle change in the atmosphere when she had shut the bedroom door. Oh, the lust was there all right. Their hands and mouths had barely stopped caressing and exploring each other since Jack had embraced her downstairs, but she could also feel a final barrier of reserve. So much had passed between them and, over the months, bonds had been built that neither had perhaps fully understood. Tonight, to her great surprise, it had all became clear. So much time had been wasted – by both of them. Jack wasn’t just another one of the amusing men who warmed her bed but how could she convince him? She had to close that gap between them. She usually helped her lovers disrobe so why did this feel different? Jack’s little joke about the tie suddenly bridged the chasm. Still her fingers trembled slightly as she slid his tie down from its safe anchor. “What am I? A schoolgirl?” she thought. And then there were all the buttons. “Honestly, how do men manage??” She knew that the playing field needed to feel equal for him. As far as she knew, his bed had been empty for years. She had to proceed carefully here and temper her expectations.

Jack sloughed off his jacket as Phryne loosened his tie. Her hands felt so sure, her fingers so delicate. The less he wore, the lighter he felt. The last sour years of his marriage – old news; the difference in their stations – irrelevant; the anxiety about having sex again– well, that feeling hadn’t totally dissipated but each kiss and touch they exchanged assured him that he was on the right path. The feel of her, the smell of her, the taste of her, the look of her, the sound of her… The heightened awareness of his senses crowded his mind. He couldn’t get enough. His body began to strain. He wanted to prolong the discovery and also take her immediately. Could she really be in his arms? Could this really be happening? 

When finally Jack was down to his singlet, Phryne led him to the bed. Smiling softly, she said, “Make yourself comfortable, Jack. I’ll be back in a minute” and with that she turned and stepped into the en suite bathroom. Exhaling deeply, she leaned back against the door and murmured, “Calm down, Phryne. This is Jack. How long have you chased him? Well, he’s here now and he wants you but first things first.” And with that, the bracing feel of cool water on her face let her focus again. She tended to her family planning, washed up, and took a deep breath. 

Momentarily surprised, Jack was grateful for the interruption. “Calm yourself down, man. You’ve wanted her for so long and here she is now. Don’t mess this up.” With a deep breath, he quickly stripped off the rest of his clothes, piling them neatly on the chaise, and then climbed into bed nestling under the silky bedspread. Each time he adjusted his position, the cool fine cotton sheets stroked his body and a faint scent of her perfume rose from the bedding intoxicating him even further.

Phryne entered the room to be greeted by the sight of a bare-chested Jack on the far side of the bed. She broke into a smile. The promise of Queenstown had come true and was even better than she had imagined. As their eyes fixed on each other, she unknotted her embroidered silk robe and let it drop slowly to the floor. Pale golden light bathed the room. Jack smiled that wry smile of his and threw back the covers to welcome Phryne to his body and his heart.


End file.
